Seattle Seahawks: Gauging the Loss of Russell Okung

By Todd Pheifer

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Russell Okung is hurt, and it may be serious. The Seattle Seahawks are doomed! Run for the hills!

Easy there, fans. Yes, the prospect of losing a starting left tackle on any team is potentially problematic. Yes, the Seahawks already have issues with the offensive line since Breno Giacomini and J.R. Sweezy are battling injuries.

Right now, there is no reason to panic until there is actually a reason to panic. Okung is seeing doctors, getting second opinions and sitting out against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Take a deep breath.

This is where we may really see the strength and flexibility of Russell Wilson. No, we don’t want Wilson to automatically scramble to the right every single time the ball is snapped. In addition, fans cringed when Wilson took a couple of bone-crushing hits against the San Francisco 49ers after handing the ball off to Marshawn Lynch as part of the read-option strategy.

It will be okay. How? Not sure yet.

The NFL is a brutal league, and despite only playing 16 games, it can feel like the longest of seasons. Every game is crucial, and key injuries can be devastating. Granted, if Okung is going to miss a couple of weeks, the team would rather he did it now than at the end of the season.

It would be a bummer if Okung was lost for a large portion of the year. However, the Seahawks are a deep, balanced team. You can’t lose too many offensive linemen, but there is reason for confidence with this team. Adjustments will be made.

In the meantime, fans can hope that Okung’s big toe heals quickly and that he can get back to protecting Wilson’s blind side. That toe may play a crucial role in winning the Super Bowl this year.

Todd Pheifer covers the Seattle Seahawks for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @tpheifer, “Like” him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google+.